Adjustable Assemblies & Forumulas

[annkenn]

Hello! Long time reader first time poster. Normally if I search enough I can find my question already answered, but not this time... There are two problems wrapped into one, so any help would be appreciated.


I am trying to design a very simple assembly. It is a bended piece of sheet metal with X length. To keep the part stable, it will have some steel welded onto it underneath. This part will be (X-160mm) long.

Both of these parts are defined as adjustable by length in their respective psm/par files. In this assembly, I can change the length on each manually.

However, I would like the overall length of the part to drive both parts. If I say that X=1000mm long, I want the stabilizing part to automatically adjust to 840mm. However, when right click and click "Edit Adjustable Part," I can define the length with a value but I have no luck trying to put a forumla in. (I can't find a good forumla rules list anywhere for SE, so I could just be inputting this wrong!) The Variables window hasn't been of much help either.


My other question, once this problem is solved, is if I could put this subassembly into a larger one and still adjust it.

(To give some context, I work with physically very large assemblies that have moving parts. We have a lot of pieces that have welded components that is a subassembly in SE. I want this welded part to be able to be placed into a larger assembly and I can modify the lenth within the design and be specific to that design. The manufacturing drawing for this will be variable by a length we determine and define on every project)


Any feedback would be helpful!

 

[teebarr]

I don't use adjustable parts much but I think I would do this with the peer variable table. This allows formulas to be created between parts within an assembly. You may have to make the part non-adjustable first, though I'm not sure.
Tony

 

[Kenny_G]

You can also set adjustable part variables equal to an assembly variable and then adjust the assembly variable to update.

Ken G.

http://grundey.blogspot.com

 

[DMoreno]

I think that a better approach will be using inter-part copy an make a little of parametric design, with this approach You'll be able to use the variable table, peer variables and adjustments via top level assembly.

For example since the sheet metal is the main component in the sub-assembly; I'll use the inter-part copy on it and the profile for the part file will be referenced to that inter-part copy,
then if I make a change to the sheet metal the part file will be updated automatically, when all this is done variables can be added to control the sheet metal via the variable table and finally
when the sub-assembly is used on a top level assembly using the peer variable with a previously defined set of variables on the top level assembly the sub-assembly sheet metal/part can be updated with
a change in variables.

Following the above You just have to control one part but two parts will be updated from the top level assembly with variables or even formulas.

Hope this helps
Diego